Cerebral Vascular Accidents in Cyanotic Congenital Heart Disease

A study of 29 patients with cerebrovascular accidents complicating cyanotic congenital heart disease revealed that the predominant central nervous system lesion was cerebral venous thrombosis. Young, cyanotic children, particularly those whose blood indices denote a hypochromic, microcytic anemia, are at risk to develop central nervous system complications. Since cyanotic infants with hypochromic microcytic anemia may have hemoglobin and hematocrit levels in the normal range, measurement of cell indices and microscopic examination of blood smears are necessary to exclude iron deficiency anemia.